Page 55 of Daughter of the Serpent

She had been such a student - cut off from the higher knowledge she so desperately craved, to only know and cast simple spells and incantation - never to know the higher workings of magic itself, until now.

“You speak the truth, Thyra,” Runa nodded her head. “However, each of you must demonstrate and deepen your ability to channel, as tasked. Whether you feel prepared or not, your magical ability will determine your fate on this day.”

Some of the students slouched back, their faces pinched with worry. Others smiled, eager to prove themselves. Sylvie felt a wave of excitement and dread simultaneously shift through her.

Aside from the night of Rebirth, she had yet to truly harness her magical powers, but she could only hope she could again today.

“Before we begin,” Elder Runa continued, “You must be willing to let the magic move through you, any disruption, any resistance to its control will backfire. You must be willing to surrender fully. Magic uses you as its vessel, and it will sense when you wish to control it - and it will retract or retaliate.”

She glided through the class, taking her time to assess each of the students in attendance. She pushed her long white braid over her shoulder, her eyes flashing in all seriousness. “Remember, magic is of its own mind. You cannot fight its power, or it will show it to the full degree. You must gain its respect. Only then, will it allow you to use it as you will.”

Sylvie’s thoughts flickered to her scrolls and the lessons Godvick had painstakingly drilled into her about the art of casting. Runes, hehad warned, were fickle and volatile, their power not something to wield lightly. They couldn’t simply be invoked on a whim; they demanded more - a connection to the very essence of magic itself. Without this bond, they would resist, defying the caster’s intent. Only those who had proven themselves worthy - both to the magic and to the gods - could channel their energy with precision. The gods would guide the runes, but only if the magic first deemed the caster fit, revealing fate to those who had earned its trust.

“For those who survive these tests in the coming weeks, magic will no longer be a separate entity - but a part of you, always. You will become magic itself, embodied.”

A shiver ran down Sylvie’s entire body, and her soul seemed to become alive - her longing for such greatness evident. Her entire life’s ambition boiled down to these precious moments.

Would she be found worthy?

The class filed out of the temple, stepping out to the sacred grounds that held the ancient stone circles. Towering oak trees, their branches reaching towards the heavens, provided a canopy of shade. Though their naked branches were still blanketed in a thin sheen of snow, the changing air was beginning to shape the landscape anew, and one could smell the scent of the rising spring.

The students assumed their positions, stationing themselves beneath the encircled stones. Sylvie found her place among them, carefully standing before one of the stones etched with carvings and runes whom’s meanings had been lost over the turn of the centuries. Weathered by time, the stone circle stood a silent witness to the rituals of countless generations, each stone evident in their power, and energy. Even now as her hand lightly touched the bare rock, it seemed to spark alive in response.

How many of her ancestors stood in this very spot?

She felt a certain reverence for the sacred space, and a strange wave of unexplainable nostalgia washed over her. She could feel theintensity of this moment, this place, and the magic laid in the very rock and vessel. She could sense the very spirit of the land, the essence of nature coming to life beneath her feet.

Under the watchful gaze of the towering oaks, the students prepared themselves for the task ahead.

This was no ordinary lesson; it was a communion with the forces that shaped their world.

“Before we begin, we must entreat the gods for their favor. We must entreat magic itself for its blessing and kindness.”

With heads bowed, each student uttered their silent prayers.

Sylvie looked around her, locking eyes with Haldor.

What if he failed in the task?

What if she failed?

No time further was given to think when Runa approached the center of the circle, her eyes penetrating even at a distance. In her good hand she held her own set of runes. Her’s were wood, sacred symbols carved into their polished surface.

“Today, you stand on the precipice of knowledge and power. The runes are not merely stones or wood; they are vessels of the divine, conduits through which the gods speak to us. But to unlock their secrets, we must surrender ourselves to their will. When working with your magic you must remove yourself from the equation, block all emotion and fear. You must be a clear channel.”

Her eyes searched their faces.“This ritual is not for the faint - hearted. It requires courage, focus, and above all, respect for the ancient powers that govern our world. Are you prepared to face the challenge?”

The students nodded in response, steeling themselves for what was to come. The sheer gravity of her voice told the weight of the action. Gesturing to her runes in hand, she prepared herself to channel, her eyes lifting to the heavens. The students watched on as Runa began to chant incantations, her voice ringing out with power. “Gods of fire, water, earth, and sky! We entreat you on this fine day!” Runa called out to the heavens. “May you bless these children now, thesevacant vessels willing to be of service to you! Let the magic flow through their veins to protect the earth, our world, and the people. With your blessing, let it be done!”

Energy crackled, the nature spirits answering with bowing trees and howls of sudden whisping wind.

She turned to the students. “Focus your mind, feel the energy coursing through your veins. Welcome the magic home - welcome it into your very being. Let it guide your hands as you cast.” She closed her eyes, her body beginning to fill with tangible energy. “When you feel the magic beginning to flow, ask your question. Ask with an open heart, and trust it will be revealed.”

With that, she cast - her whole arm coming aglow with pulsing yellow energy. The runes flung out towards the circle’s center, light engulfing them before upturning their faces to reveal her arrangement.

Gasps erupted around them, Sylvie’s breath caught in her throat.

Yet there was no time to gape.